During the drilling of bores or wells in the earth using a drill column having a drill bit, forces are produced in a longitudinal direction with respect to the drill column. Forces are also generated tending to rotate the drill bit together with the remaining portions of the drill column. The longitudinal or axial and rotational or torsional forces are absorbed by shock absorbing elements connected within the drillstring. Various shock absorbing elements have been devised. In one known tool, the shock absorbing element comprises a gas-spring system including telescoping body sections having a floating piston within. On one side of the piston is nitrogen gas while oil is housed on the other side. Another known shock absorber apparently utilizes an arrangement of springs to permit use in various down hole temperatures and pressures.
The present invention employs a single shock absorbing element having a configuration which permits deflections of portions of the tool for absorbing forces applied thereto and which resiliently, like a spring, resumes its original, non-deflected form upon removal of the forces. The present invention is characterized by minimal parts and a unique arrangement of openings formed throughout the periphery of the tool to allow for ready absorption of the applied axial and torsional forces.